The Before Seasons
by TheWestDriver
Summary: Before the Avatar was lost and found again there were people searching for their own paths. They are all connected in the future generations. Each chapter is a oneshot about a different story. All OCs. Rated T for violence and language.
1. The Reveal

The Reveal

Disclaimer: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ belongs to Nickelodeon, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Bryan Konietzko. The original characters belong to me.

A/N: Don't be upset by my abundance of comma splices and OCs. I can't help liking them. All of the characters are related in some way to the future Gaang (not always by blood), but their actions helped shape the return of the Avatar. I tried to keep things according to the canon timeline.

_**The Reveal**_

Tianfu smiled as her friends went home for the night. Her sixteenth birthday had been a great success according to the scattered conversations she heard around her house. Even her father remarked that he had a good time with a group of people in the back playing Pai Sho. Her presents had been wonderful, not that it was very important.

It was getting very chilly in the still autumn night, so she left her porch to help her father clean up inside.

Leaping around the house, Tianfu hummed "Four Seasons" under her breath. She kept a cool grey eye on her father as he put away the dishes they had used. He looked preoccupied.

Under his red robes, Scribe Riondo shifted uncomfortably. His thick black eyebrows practically touched over the bridge of his nose and his lithe fingers were becoming careless with the bowl he was washing. His thoughts were far, far away.

"What's wrong, Papa? Didn't you have a good time tonight?" Tianfu popped up behind him and he dropped the bowl in surprise. She caught it on her foot before it hit the ground. "Are you mad that Ying scorched some grass on the lawn? I'm sorry, he was just showing off."

His voice was softer than usual as he took the bowl from his daughter, "Oh, no, dear. I must say I admire many of your friends."

Tianfu put away a group of cups next to him. She said, "Papa, are you not feeling well? You look sad."

Riondo dried his hands and lightly pushed the thick brown hair from his daughter's eyes. He gulped and said, "I have something to tell you, darling. It's just- I don't want to ruin your birthday night."

She parted her lips slightly. In all of her sixteen years, Tianfu had never seen her father like this. He was usually a chipper, albeit quiet Fire Nation Scribe that had gained the respect of everyone in court. She was afraid of what could make him so bothered.

"It won't ruin my night. I promise! Just tell me now, Papa. I swear I won't be upset."

Closing a cupboard, Riondo said, "Let's sit down then."

They moved to the puffy couch in their living room. Tianfu curled her legs beneath her and leaned toward her father. Curiosity was starting to overcome her fear.

"Before I say anything I need you to know that your mother would be extremely proud of you, Tianfu."

The girl's heart skipped a beat. He never talked about her mother. All Tianfu knew about her was that she was dead and she had brown hair.

Riondo rubbed his eyes.

"I'm sorry it's taken me so long to tell you all of this, but I was afraid you were too young before. But it's time." He took a deep breath and began, "Your mother and I met six years before you were born. She was always very kind to me and made me feel better every time I messed something up. I was an apprentice scribe at that time, and my master was a very strict man. He liked her though. Old Man Shuo always liked Asa."

_My mother's name was Asa_, thought Tianfu. Her heart was racing.

"I think everyone liked her though. She had an uncanny ability to make people smile," he grinned as he remembered. "Things were wonderful at the beginning. We told each other stories and secrets and I was happier than I had ever been in my life."

He took a small package out of his pocket.

"She wanted me to give you this on your sixteenth birthday. She used it when she worked."

He pulled out a silver necklace on a chain. Tianfu examined it closer and realized it was a whistle. She put it to her lips and forced a light note out. She liked the way it sounded.

He quickly continued, "The Fire Nation was planning something dreadful at the time," his face darkened. "We had no idea. Asa would have fought them if she had known. She was a strong woman. She was strong woman and stronger bender."

_I'm the daughter of a bender?! _Her mind could hardly process what that meant.

"Tianfu, your mother was a bender. I wanted to train you after she died, but I had no idea how-"

The girl leapt to her feet, "Why didn't you send me to train with the other benders? I could have learned to Firebend from them!"

The man looked deep into her eyes, washing Tianfu's anger away.

"Because your mother was not a Firebender, Tianfu. She was an Airbender."

She felt the breath leave her lungs.

xxxxx

"At school they teach you that the Fire Nation was at war with the Air Nomads. This is a lie. The Nomads are a peaceful, spiritual people who would never fight except to protect a loved one. Your mother, they called her Sister Asa in the Eastern Air Temple, was killed in the Fire Nation's massacre." He growled, "She died protecting someone very important to her."

Tianfu was past the phase of shock. She decided hearing her mother's whole story was more important than being upset with her father. Her eyes were wide.

"Who did she die for?"

"Sister Iio. She and your mother raised Sky Bison at the Temple. That whistle around your neck was one of the tools she used to call them. Those Bison loved her.

"Iio was like Asa's mother. She was trying to protect the stables when a group of Firebenders set them ablaze. They used Airbending to fight them, but Iio was overpowered. She was surrounded by the benders. I thought for sure she would die then."

His chest swelled with pride, "But no. My wife, your mother, flew from the sky and landed next to Iio. She swooped and spun and blew them away, never stopping for a moment. I watched her bend an air shield, flipping through the fire and disable a man from behind. Asa blasted them with gusts more powerful than I could fathom. Her entire body was quick and powerful. I had never seen someone match her Airbending that day…. Asa was at her most beautiful.

"As the last of the soldiers fell, she returned to Iio to pick her up from the ground. They stood and embraced. As they were walking back to me, one of the Fire Nation cowards made a rush to Iio."

Riondo's eyes watered, "He came from behind with a sword. I screamed to move while you were crying in my arms, but Asa pushed Iio out of the way instead. He stabbed her in the back."

Tears fell from Tianfu's eyes unknowingly. She pictured her mother's fall.

"I was there, holding you, when Iio killed the man for his crime. She blasted him into a wall with such force…. His neck broke."

They sat in silence, wiping their faces.

The daughter asked, "Papa, I was there too?"

He nodded, "Yes, darling. You were only three months old. We went to Sister Iio as she was holding your mother's body. She cried that I needed to flee back to the Capitol City where I was from. She said to raise you like a Fire Nation child and tell no one of your mother." He said, "Iio gave you a blessing before we left.

"She said, 'May you live long and spread your truth to the nations, for you are our hope.' Iio said to keep you safe for Asa's sake."

Her father adjusted his glasses. He said, "Together we went to the Fire Nation Capital."

Tianfu felt millions of questions come to mind. She decided to start at the beginning of them, "Why were you at the Eastern Air Temple instead of Fire Nation territory?"

"Ah, yes. The Air Nomads and Fire Nation were never on bad terms with each other until that bastard Sozin put his filthy hands on a map."

Tianfu visibly flinched at the sullying of the Fire Lord's name. She had been taught in school since childhood that the Fire Lord deserved the utmost respect from his subjects. The royal family was untouchable in that way. It shocked her to hear her father say such things. In a way, it almost pleased her too.

"Master Shuo and I were employed in the Capital to write the history of the Air Nomads. We were assigned to the Eastern Air Temple long before Sozin decided to massacre them in search of the Avatar. That's another thing I need to tell you. When we left I only took three things: you, the whistle, and the history scrolls. I still have them hidden under the floorboards of my room. Perhaps one day we can show them to the world." He smiled.

"But, why haven't we told someone? What if the Avatar is out there hiding, just waiting for people to help?"

Riondo patted his daughter's hand, "You have a great sense of justice, Tianfu. Like your mother." She blushed at the compliment. "I have often wondered if there were people sympathetic with the Air Nomads that I could reveal all these secrets to. But if I tell someone I risk losing their history completely and I put your life in danger. It can never fall into the wrong hands. Take a step back and look at our situation. Do you see why I fear for your safety? If Sozin killed all the Airbenders, and you are the only daughter of an Airbender, doesn't it make sense that you could be the Avatar?"

Her jaw dropped.

Riondo shook his head. "You aren't, darling. But for many years I was afraid you would show the signs. I thought you would bend an air funnel at school and be found out. I was afraid you would trip and catch yourself with a gust of wind. But you didn't. Perhaps… perhaps you never learned to Airbend because they were so busy trying make everyone Firebend. You would have been trained incorrectly from the start," he pondered. "I know very little about bending, but I know that it requires a different philosophy for each art. Airbending is dynamic and elusive, but so passive as well. Firebending is much more aggressive. It has been turned into the bending of hate and rage. Somehow I feel that it wasn't always so violent."

Tianfu paced the room, "Do you think I could learn anyway? What if I teach myself to Airbend?"

"Keep in mind, dear, there is always the possibility that you are simply not a bender. I fear that I have weakened your chances of it. No one on my side of the family can bend."

The girl nodded, feeling a bit of disappointment. She sat next to her father.

Riondo winked at her. "But, you know that you move like an Airbender. In fact, some of your teachers were concerned that you _might_ be a Firebender, but your movements were too loose for it to ever develop. It made me quite pleased that you unsuspectingly showed traits from your mother. You look just like her, Tianfu.

"I wish I could tell you more about her side of the family. I knew her parent's names, but nothing else. Her mother was also from the Eastern Air Temple. Her name was Elina; she and Iio were close friends. She died a few years before I came to the Temple. Her father was from the Southern Air Temple. His name was Pasang, but I never got the chance to meet him. She had brothers and sisters scattered around the other Temples, but I presume they were killed as well. I have their names written in the histories.

"Tianfu, it will be hard for you to keep these secrets. I would not have told you so soon, but I feared I would never get the chance to reveal your Air Nomad lineage to the world. In the future, perhaps the Avatar will return. Perhaps not. Maybe there will be people brave enough to overthrow Sozin and his lackeys without an Avatar. All I know is that I will tell this story to you in the hopes of sharing it with good people. You must bide your time, my daughter. When I die, the story must not die with me. Tell someone you completely trust when the time is right. May you live long enough to know the peace that I once knew."

xxxxx

Later that night, Tianfu crept outside in the moonlight to try something she had never tried before. When children were tested at school to be Firebenders they focused with all their might to produce a little flame. Not Tianfu. She bounced around and sighed until the teachers forced her to sit in a corner. She never practiced it because it wasn't something she really cared about. In her experience, all the Firebenders were pompous and rude. Generally they were brutal too.

She sat in the dry grass, remembering the words her teachers said when they meditated.

"Straight back, strong fists, powerful thoughts, controlled breath," she murmured. "Straight back, strong thoughts- no… strong, um, strong breath? No. Strong fists?"

She slouched and flopped on her back.

_I thought meditation would help me learn to Airbend, but I can't even do that right!_

Closing her eyes, Tianfu breathed deeply and thought of her mother. Her mother, spinning through the air, whipping the wind like a master. Her mother who died to save someone she loved. It made the girl smile.

She used to assume that her mother and father split on bad terms and that one day he simply received word that she died. She was very pleased to be proven wrong.

_I will stay in the Fire Nation, _she thought. _I may not be an Airbender, but_ _I will stay and teach someone. Maybe one of my kids. They'll learn about the Air Nomads. And Asa. My mom._

In the still night, Tianfu relaxed with a small smile on her face, thinking of her mother and the wind until she fell asleep.

Inside the house Riondo watched his daughter from the window.

Just before he was going to retire for the night, he thought he saw some orange and yellow leaves circle in the air above her.

xxxxx

The sands at the harbor had cooked all day in the sun. The group of Fire Nation teenagers playing on the beach were very aware of the pain every little step caused their feet. Finally, one of them spoke up.

"I've had it with this crappy sand! My uncle has a boat at the docks, let's just go sailing!"

The burly boy slicked back his curly black hair.

The others, still skipping from foot to foot, agreed with him.

Tianfu and her friends made their way to the docks. She walked next to a short, amber-eyed girl named Ilah. She was a good bender and a rather saucy person. Her parents were nobles in court.

"What an oaf," she said. "I wouldn't even go near him except he's good for a laugh."

Tianfu couldn't help but smile, "Don't be cruel, Ilah. Ying's a bit goofy, but he means well. Besides, he always does his best to entertain us."

"Right," she drawled. "Last time Ying tried to _entertain_ us he blew a hole in your yard. Was your dad pissed about that?"

"No," said the taller girl. "He was just surprised the trees didn't catch fire too."

They reached the large boat and everyone climbed onboard. The kids let Ying steer against their better judgment until someone else asked to give it a try.

The large boy abandoned his post to sit next to Tianfu and Ilah.

"So ladies, what do you think of my big boat?"

Ilah smirked, "I think you're compensating." Tianfu giggled.

Ying grinned at them, "I guess I walked right into that one. It's alright, you can poke fun at me. I'm still hot stuff." He sparked a little flame on his thumb.

They laughed and talked together until someone called out, "Hey, Ying! Can we put the anchor down? We want to swim!"

Ying stretched and stood up, "Yeah, sure. I'll get it." He strolled along the side of the boat until he came to a twisted rope pile and the anchor. His uncle was clearly not a neat man.

He threw the anchor overboard and felt something abruptly tighten around his ankle. Before he had the chance to think, the rope pulled him overboard and deep in the water.

Ying lost the little amount of air he had in his lungs in shock. His body convulsed as he pulled on the rope, but it was too taut. The boy tightened all of his muscles and knew that he would not be awake much longer.

xxxxx

The girls heard a thud a few seconds after Ying left their side. They followed his path, but didn't see him anywhere.

"Did he go back to steer?" asked Ilah. "The anchor is already down there."

Tianfu looked in the clear water and saw a shadow. Then bubbles popped on the surface.

Without a word she took a huge breath and dove in after Ying.

She swam quickly enough to see his eyes fluttering in the water. In his panic he had tried to Firebend through the rope and expended all of his energy. Tianfu tugged at the rope on his feet, but nothing happened. She pulled Ying down to her level and the rope slackened.

A large cluster of bubbles left Ying's mouth as he was released. The girl saw his eyes roll back and his mouth partially open. He was not rising in the water.

She pressed her lips to his, as if kissing him, and released pure air into his mouth. His eyes flew open underwater. Tianfu filled his lungs and pushed out the water before swimming back up to the surface.

They drew in so much air when they resurfaced that their lungs were stretched completely. Ying coughed and sputtered while Tianfu just relished the breath in her body.

Everyone on deck stared at them.

Ilah shrieked, "Don't ever do that again! I thought you died!" She threw a rope ladder over the side of the boat.

When they had mostly recovered from the near-drowning experience, everyone thought it would be best to just go back to shore for the day.

They said their goodbyes at the dock before parting ways. Ying offered to walk Tianfu home.

Before they reached her porch he stopped.

His face was very serious. It made Tianfu anxious. "Hey Ti, I know I already thanked you for saving me, but I need to tell you something. Uh, when I was drowning, I never totally passed out. I felt you um, kiss me?" She opened her mouth to interrupt him. He continued, "It wasn't a kiss, I know, but I can't think of a better word. You pushed air in my lungs… from your mouth. It was like I was breathing because you were breathing for me. You controlled it."

Tianfu instinctively reached for the whistle around her neck. She didn't say anything.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is- is that was really weird," he mumbled. "But thanks for doing it anyway."

She sighed in relief that he didn't press the subject.

"You're welcome. I figured that if you died, whose boat would we get to sail on?"

Ying sneered, "Aw great. Another case of using Ying for fun. What would you people do without me?"

"Probably not drown."

They laughed and hugged before Tianfu went inside. She told her father about what happened and he furrowed his brow in thought. In her room alone later, the girl could not help but hope this meant she could Airbend after all.

xxxxx

**Eighty-five years later**

In the Fire Nation courtyard, a rather large family had gathered to celebrate yesterday's coronation of the new Fire Lord, Zuko.

A brown-haired girl was handed a small note by one of her family messengers. It said, "Please come to my room as soon as you get the chance. It's important. Love, Grammy."

_Grammy? She's like one hundred and one years old. I wonder what she wants me for. _

The girl shrugged and agilely sauntered to her grandmother's room. It was a large, very open room full of windows and light. It was not quite the same style as the other rooms in the house, but the girl liked it all the same. Golden curtains flowed like sunshine around an old woman staring outside.

Her voice was whispery in her old age, but it was filled with a kind of inner peace that she only shared with one of her descendents.

"Hello, Grammy," said the smiling girl. "Your note said you wanted to see me."

Tianfu stood next to basket of scrolls, wearing the silver whistle around her neck.

She said, "You know, Ty Lee, you were always my favorite granddaughter."

Ty Lee bounced to her side, "Oh, thank you! You've always been my favorite Grammy."

They giggled together.

The woman continued, "I know that you and Avatar Aang have had many adventures, perhaps not always on the same side as the other, but you were always connected to him. I'm going to show you something now and tell you a story, but I need you to promise to help me tell it to him. Ty Lee, you are the only one of my granddaughters that I feel it's affected. You may hold the key to the future. It's very important, and I trust you completely."

Ty Lee looked uncertain, but nodded.

Tianfu took a deep breath and exhaled. A gust of wind flew through the open window and blew Ty Lee's hair and clothes as if she were falling. The wind danced around Tianfu's wrinkled hands until she let it fly back outside, smiling enormously.

Her granddaughter gaped.

"G-Grammy? Did you- did you just Airbend?"

Lightly laughing, Tianfu said, "I did, my darling. It's quite a surprise to me too, because yesterday was the first time I've been able to control it."

A rush of realization hit Ty Lee. She sagged into a chair, "Grammy- how did… how?"

Tianfu sat across from her granddaughter. She had waited for eighty-five years for this moment.

"It started on my sixteenth birthday."

xxxxx

A/N: I always pictured Ty Lee as an Airbender. Jumping through the air, perky personality, good sense of humor, and everything else…. Reviews are welcome.


	2. The Namesake

Disclaimer: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ belongs to Nickelodeon, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Bryan Konietzko. The original characters belong to me.

A/N: This takes place long before Aang is found. It's not focused on Sokka from Team Avatar. Rated for language and death.

_**The Namesake**_

The snowfall was more intense this year than Sokka had ever known. It fell in dark sheets from the sky, blotting out the sun and leaving a dreary landscape in its wake.

Sokka played with his braided hair beneath his fur hood. He thought he should cut it. It made him look a bit girlish. He glanced at the fishing rod sticking from the ice; nothing was biting. Still. All day fishing trips were yielding nothing but a few puny sea prunes and once a penguin shark that seemed to be teething.

His mind wandered again to his braids. _Do I look like my mother? Or maybe more like a beanstalk wearing a mop. _

He sighed, quietly wishing he were more muscular and not so tall.

Scuffling across the iced lake he grabbed the fishing pole began the trudge back to his family's tent. The snow blew down in sharp flurries that stung his face. He was ready for dinner and the possibility of a storm seemed more and more likely.

He could see the smoke from his house and smiled at the thought of warmth and food.

_I wish we could get some Firebenders down here. They'd certainly heat things up._

Sokka chuckled at his pun.

A gust of wind toppled him over with a grunt. Crawling the rest of the way to the tent, he flung himself inside with a huge grin on his face.

"You should see the weather out th-"

Even laying on his back, covered in fresh snow, Sokka saw that his mother was weeping.

He sprung up immediately. "What happened?" he asked.

She covered her mouth with her shaking hands. Her brown hair wildly framed her face.

"The Great Cave collapsed, Sokka," she gasped. "We can't get to them. They have no way to make a fire… they can't get out! We don't even know if they survived, t-the rocks just fell!"

Noticing his missing father, Sokka surveyed the tent with a grimace and a sinking feeling in his stomach.

He whispered, "Where's dad?"

She breathed deeply, "He's fine, sweetie. He and everyone else is trying to get them out, but they don't know where to look."

A wave of relief washed over him. "I can help! Let's go, mom! We need to get them out of the Cave." He rushed around his side of the tent groping for his belongings.

His mother didn't move.

"C'mon, mom! We need to go! Who's trapped down there?"

She stared blankly ahead. Her lip was quivering from the tears that filled her bright blue eyes.

"You can't go there, Sokka." His mother murmured, "You don't know what it's like to see death. You're only fifteen. You can't."

Sokka turned away from her slowly sliding a knife, rope, and flint into his pockets.

The mother and son looked at each other for many moments before boy said, "You don't know that they're dead. Who's down there?"

She shook her head. Sokka could see that she was losing her grip.

"Sokka," she moaned. She bit her lips in silence. He furrowed his brows until she spoke again.

"Harluk and Jonka. Nodok… And Marana w-with the babies." She collapsed heaving on her bed.

_Kya and Lidok, _he thought.

Marana had been his mother's best friend since childhood. Her older son Nodok was practically Sokka's big brother. No wonder his mother was hysterical. Losing the people in the Cave would be like losing her own family.

Without another word, Sokka flew from the tent into the biting cold as his mother shouted his name. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him until he reached the people at the Cave. All around him the Water Tribe was digging in the debris and bending the snow to move large rocks.

The Great Cave once stood tall in the Southern Water Tribe. It was a communal meeting point and one of the safest places to go during a storm outside of the village. It was dry and had nearly endless tunnels underground to use as shelter. Now it looked like pile of rubble laying flat on the ground.

He spotted his father using a spear as a fulcrum in the rocks.

"Dad! What can I do?" Sokka fell to his knees began throwing rocks to the side.

"Stop!" His father screamed, "You'll cause another collapse!"

The boy let his hands fall to his sides.

"You shouldn't be here, Sokka," growled his father. Sweat had formed on his brown skin, even in the biting cold. The stoic man never lifted his crystal eyes from the ground. "Go over there, son. Stay away from the rocks."

Sokka hung his head, resisting the urge to cry. He was much too old to be so babyish, but his father's words stung. He looked at the men and women using all their strength to save the people beneath them, feeling worthless.

One man, slumped on the ground and holding his face, caught his attention. It was Gennon, the husband of Marana and father of Nodok, Kya, and Lidok. His face was lined in a grimace and his eyes were bloodshot.

Gennon did not wait for Sokka to speak.

"They've been down there all day. No one was even looking for them. I thought Marana took the kids to the sled hills, but she wasn't home for dinner. I didn't even go to look for them until this evening. I didn't even start looking."

The large, bearded man sat like a sad statue gazing at the rock heap.

Sokka spoke softly, "Harluk and Jonka are down there too and they're warriors, so they'll keep them safe. And Nodok is very strong. He wouldn't let a few rocks stand in his way!" The boy smiled weakly.

Gennon did not take his eyes from the Cave, "When too many people are on the rocks they sink deeper. It's collapsed twice since I've been here."

He hung his head and they did not speak again. Sokka thought about the structure of the Cave.

_One way in. One way out. Deep tunnels... Who am I kidding? I don't even know if the inside would look like that anymore. If there even is an inside._

Without a word, Sokka walked back to his father on the crumbling rocks.

"Dad, you're Gennon's best friend. You need to go talk to him. Reassure him or something. Please, dad."

His father set down the spear and wiped his face. "I've tried, son. He won't list-"

Suddenly the rocks beneath them began to quiver and the two men moved as if in slow motion. Sokka saw his father hit the snow backwards, eyes wide and hands reaching, while he watched his son fall into darkness.

The rocks smashed against his body as he fell through the air. One crushed the side of his head making Sokka fall into blackness.

xxxxx

He awoke with the overwhelming feeling that he was drowning. Freezing water rushed into his mouth and nose, but when he rolled to the side he was surrounding by rocks.

_Not drowning,_ thought Sokka. _Dripping. The snow is melting on me. _

He sat up much too quickly, and felt the spinning sensation of lightheadedness. The little flood of water continued falling on his back.

Touching his face, Sokka felt the entire right side was swollen and possibly bleeding. It was too dark to tell. He grumbled and felt his entire body. Everything was sore and heavily bruised, but nothing was broken.

The cold burned his skin. Sokka had only felt such a chill once in his life. He and his mother had been playing on the ice and he wandered too far out. He fell beneath the thin layer, but was pulled out immediately by his mother. Even such a short exposure had left him sick for two weeks. He recovered, but everyone thought he was going to die.

He tried to find the source of the water. The rocks above him were the ones leaking. That meant there was a small gap between them. After another moment he gained some of his strength and wriggled between the two that were directly overhead.

Pressed against the wet rocks, Sokka squirmed to an opening in a part of the Cave he recognized. His father's spear poked out of the cold dirt.

He nodded, rubbing his arms for warmth, "Score one for Sokka."

The rest of the area seemed shaken. About half of the once large center room of the Cave was a slanted path of loose rocks. He must have come from beneath them. It was a miracle he hadn't been crushed.

Above him he could see something shiny looking, but also bright.

_No way. Is that the moon? It's nighttime already?!_

A weak voice from the back of the clearing startled him, "Nodok- is that you?"

Sokka spun, searching for the owner of the voice. He saw two shadows that were darker than the rocks in a corner.

"No, it's Sokka! Harluk? Jonka? Are you alright?"

He rushed over to the men. Jonka slumped against the wall, cradling his twin brother in his lap.

"Harluk is really hurt, Sokka. I think he's bleeding out. It's his shoulder, I tried to stop it, but I couldn't, it just keeps bleeding. He won't stop! We need to get out of here. Please help him! Don't let my brother die!"

The boy was shocked to hear Jonka crying. The brothers were the two greatest warriors in the village. They were swift, courageous, level-headed, and strong. And they never cried.

He couldn't stand the pain in his voice.

"I won't let him die, Jonka," said Sokka. He crawled to Harluk's shoulder and felt around the wound. It was close to the base of his neck and gushed blood at an alarming rate.

Sokka thought quickly. His head pounded, whether from concentration or trauma he couldn't tell.

He felt around his pockets to see what was still inside. The knife and flint remained, but the large rope was probably still above ground. He pulled the flint out, feeling very lucky that it was still there.

"Jonka, I need you to do something for me." The soldier whimpered slightly, still rocking his brother.

"Listen, Jonka, do you have any dry clothing? Are your gloves dry?"

"Yes, one is. I have dry hat, will that be alright?"

Normally, a Southern Tribe warrior would not have deferred leadership to a boy, but Sokka painfully saw the true nature of the situation. Jonka's brother was dying.

He spoke gently, "Yes, that's fine. Set it down here. I'm going to cauterize Harluk's wound. I'll start a fire and heat my knife and press it down on his shoulder. I need you to hold him still if he wakes up. You understand?"

The glove did not light well, but stayed burning once the hat took to the sparks. The fur-lined clothing smelled disgusting as it burned, but Sokka heated the knife until it glowed. He made sure to keep the injured side of his face hidden from the meager light. Worrying Jonka more would be a bad choice.

"What happened, Jonka?" He tried to take the man's mind off of his brother for a moment.

He cleared his throat and tried to regain composure. "Harluk and I were fishing near the sled hills and just messing around with Nodok. We had been pushing Kya and Lidok around on the sleigh, but it got too cold outside and the wind picked up. Marana wanted to go home for lunch, but I said it would be better to wait in the Cave for a while."

His voice wavered, "I told her to wait." Jonka paused. He shook his head and continued, "We were fine until the wind got harder. We went deeper in to the Cave to get warm, but it was still freezing. I don't know why, but the entire ground started shaking and the entrance collapsed. Harluk and I were in this part and I don't know what happened to Marana and the kids."

"Harluk wasn't injured then though. Not really, just some bruises. The ceiling collapsed a few hours later right on top of us and rock must have cut him open like this. He's been bleeding since the first time it collapsed, and I've been with him over here because it fell two more times. That last one was really bad. I thought we were dead for sure. But you showed up about an hour later. I tried bending to heal his shoulder, but I was running out of energy. You know I've never been good at healing anyway."

Sokka examined the reddish blade. "Yeah, you can't help that you like to blow stuff up with ice."

Jonka snickered a little bit. "It's very true. Harluk's the same way."

"Alright, hold him down in case he wakes up." Sokka wanted the blade to be hotter, but this was all he could hope for in the given conditions.

He carefully felt the wound again, pressing down thoroughly with his scorching knife. Harluk's skin sizzled, but he did not wake up. His twin groaned.

"That's it. It's sealed." Sokka didn't give Jonka the chance to thank him.

"I'm going back from where I came so I can leave a trail for the rest of the rescue team. I'm only the beginning!" He continued lying, "They couldn't fit between the rocks, but I offered to find everyone and give them a way to get in here. Stay here for a few more minutes and you'll be home soon."

He prayed that Jonka hadn't seen his injured face in the darkness. Sokka removed his wet clothes, leaving him with a thin undershirt and light shorts. _At least they're dry_, he thought as he shivered.

The hole between the rocks where he had seen moonlight was nearly twenty feet up a sloping hill of rubble. He pushed his tired body, carrying his father's spear, and made it to the top. The rocks were huge, but there was a fist-sized hole between them letting the moonlight in. Sokka called gently to the outside world, trying not to evoke another rockslide, but no one responded.

He thrust the spear into the sky, wedging it in the stones nearest to him, hoping someone above ground would see.

xxxxx

Under the stars, a makeshift tent had been set up near the Great Cave. The talented Waterbender Chief and his young son watched the graveyard-like site as guards.

The seven-year-old boy squinted his eyes in the moonlight. He thought he saw something reflect the glow of stars.

"Daddy?"

His father looked very sad, "What, Hakoda?"

The boy pointed, "Do you see that? I think it's a spear."

xxxxx

Sokka heard what sounded like a whimpering kitten coming from somewhere below him. He followed the noise, tearing off little pieces of cloth from his shirt as he went. It was a trail that would hopefully lead back to the spear in the sky.

The temperature in the Caves was slowly eating away at his strength. At first his shaking hands were fine, but it became uncontrollable. He tucked his arms against his body and continued slouching toward the sniffling sounds.

He found one of Nodok's shoes lying unceremoniously on the ground. Sokka picked it up and heard the noise, clearly a weeping child, from a low hanging boulder. He saw the bottom part of a man's legs.

"Nodok? Lidok? Kya? Are you here?" he called in the eerie darkness.

The crying stopped.

"Kya, are you under that rock?"

He heard a scuffling sound and a sharp intake of breath before a small girl embraced his stomach. He lifted her in his arms and shushed her when her crying grew louder.

"It's all right, Kya. We'll be just f-fine." He patted her back. "Do you know where the rest of your family is?"

She shook her head against his neck and mumbled, "Only Nodok is under the rock. He won't move."

Kya whimpered again. Sokka whispered, "It's alright, don't be scared. Do you want to go see Jonka and Harluk? You can take a n-nap like Harluk if you're tired. He told me himself that he wanted a nap. Is that what you want?"

She nodded, "Will you bring Nodok?"

Sokka wondered if he had the strength to carry a much heavier body. No, not body. His friend. His living friend.

"Sure will. He'll come r-right after you."

Carrying the little girl who was no more than six, Sokka was full of torn emotions.

_What if Nodok is dead? What is Harluk dies in front of Kya? What if Jonka completely loses it? What if I never find Marana and Lidok? What if they never find the spear in the sky? Or worse, what if they find it and still can't get everyone out? _

He had to forcibly tell his brain to stop asking such morbid questions.

"What happened to your face, Sokka?" The little girl touched the side of his head and his cheekbones. They were swollen and warm with blood.

He snapped from his reverie. "I fell on a rock."

She giggled, "You fell _hard_ on a rock."

The boy gave a lopsided grin. "I sure did," he said.

After several minutes and a few tight squeezes he reached Jonka. He was now standing over the still smoldering hat. Sokka noticed that the area seemed a bit warmer.

"Hey, Jonka. I brought a little present. I decided to name her K-Kya. Isn't she cute?"

He saw Jonka smile, looking very confident and pleased. Not at all like he was before. "There's my girl!"

Kya crawled in his big fur coat and he hugged her closely.

"I would try to keep the fire going. My flint and knife are s-still right there. I'll be back in a little while with N-N-Nodok."

The warrior nodded solemnly while the boy cursed his stuttering lips.

_Difficulty speaking is a sign of the freezing sickness. You need to get warm fast. _

Sokka checked his wet coat on the way back to see if it had dried, but it was practically frozen. He opted to be scantily clad and waterless. Movement became harder in the Cave. Sokka noticed he was quickly out of breath just from walking. He ignored it until he came back to the nook where he found Kya.

When he squeezed beneath the giant stone that covered everything but Nodok's feet he came face to face with a big surprise.

A pale face screamed at him.

Sokka screamed back.

Finally, a third voice joined the ruckus, "Stop shouting, Lidok!"

Gasping for air, Sokka realized that little Lidok was the shocking person under the rock. Marana crawled out from beside him.

"Sokka!? Where are your clothes? You're freezing to death!" Her teeth chattered as she spoke. "Come here! Let me see you! Have you found Kya? I thought I heard her crying from somewhere around here."

Sokka explained how he came across her child and brought her to the big opening of the Cave. Marana hugged him tightly, "Oh, thank you, Sokka. You've done so much for us. My Nodok is still under here. I tried to pull him out, but I don't think I'm strong enough."

She leaned in close, "Sokka, I'm so afraid that he's- he's…"

"He's alive. I'm sure of it. I'll get him," he said.

In the darkness, Sokka dropped to the ground a bit harder than he intended. It was getting hard to move his arms and legs, but at least his shivering stopped. His head was pounding still.

He slid over to Nodok's chest and tried to feel for a pulse, but his hands were too numb. Gradually he began dislodging the eighteen-year-old from his pressed position between the boulders until he caught a snag.

Nodok's left hand, or at least a few fingers, were smashed under one of the walls. He would not be able to move.

_I want to stay here. Just stay. No more moving. It's so cold._

Nodok's closed eyes faced him. Sokka couldn't believe he just thought about leaving the people in the Cave. It disgusted him.

He said to himself, "Stay awake, you idiot. How dare you give up like that?"

Sokka felt the remaining blood in his face drain away. He made a decision as his stomach turned.

He called out, "Marana, do you h-have a knife?"

Her voice seemed miles away, "No, what's wrong?"

Sokka lied, "Nothing. It would j-just be handy."

He wrapped his hands around Nodok's wrist and pulled with all his might. After a sickening pop, the trapped man's hand was loose.

If Sokka hadn't been the one who did it, he might have passed out at the sight. Nodok was now missing two fingers.

He pushed his friend back to Marana and Lidok. They clung onto him silently until his mother said, "Sokka, his pulse is weak. We need to get back to Jonka and Harluk."

They carried Nodok between them, constantly checking his pulse, while the nine-year-old Lidok held onto his mother's skirt. Sokka stumbled on flat land, hitting the rock wall very hard. He wondered when they would notice the missing fingers.

His head swam, but he kept walking. More than once he dropped to his knees and cut himself. Marana asked if he was alright, but he only apologized and kept lurching forward.

"We never would have found the others without you, Sokka," said Marana. "It took me hours just to get to Nodok. Lidok and I would have starved to death."

He was having trouble hearing her, so he didn't reply.

Following Sokka's shirt trail took longer than earlier. The boy was loosing consciousness as he carried his friend. His lungs felt full of ice, too constricted to keep breathing. He wanted to sleep.

Jonka rushed to carry Nodok as soon as they came into the Cave clearing. Harluk and Kya were asleep. A fire was gently burning behind them.

Lidok turned to face Sokka. The child hugged him around the middle before the young man dropped to his knees. Marana and Jonka watched in confusion and fear.

In a stupor, Sokka gasped to the little boy, "The spear in the sky is just around that corner. Up the rocks. Tell them. Save them."

His whole body trembled and nothing made sense in his head.

He realized that his body was spent. _The Cave was too cold. I got wet. I haven't eaten. I ignored the signs of freezing sickness. This is it_, he thought. His dulling eyes bore through the others in the Cave. _It was worth it._

Sokka's shallow breathing stopped. He collapsed like the ceiling of the Great Cave, emptily staring at the growing moonlight from the hole in the sky.

xxxxx

A year had passed from that dark night.

The village gathered around the stone memorial for the young hero who had died in the Caves. Families wept and laughed at his animated past; some told stories of his ludicrous adventures, while others recounted his kind words. Those who had been in the Cave spoke briefly of his valor and selflessness.

His father somberly remembered watching his son being carried up from the hole in the ground. The boy ascended: blue from cold, black from bruises, and red from blood. The man choked and held him as the other survivors related the story of how he saved their lives. The man was proud and sorrowful. His wife smiled tenderly and thought of her little braided boy.

Behind the row of adults, a little girl was watching the ceremony.

She said nothing aloud, but in her heart made a promise to a smiling spirit.

_If I ever have a son, he'll share your name. He'll be smart and brave and great. He'll be a hero like you, Sokka._

Kya looked at the sky, feeling warm in the bright sun.

xxxxx

A/N: I always wondered where the characters got their names and I love Avatar "parent fics" so this seemed like a good combination of things. Review if you wanna.


	3. The Exchange

_**The Exchange**_

The city of Gaoling was world renown for two things: the beautiful peasant girls and the noble Bei Fong family. Of course there was also the Earthbending Academy, but it was a joke to anyone who was truly trained in the art of fighting.

Wei Man was perhaps the most well known example of the lovely peasants. The way she acted was more royal than the richest people in town, but she was constantly reminded of her parents' positions as pig-sheep farmers.

Currently, Wei Man sauntered down the main strip of buildings of Gaoling, eliciting stares from everyone who passed her. At nineteen-years old, the woman was fully aware of her emerald eyes, flowing black hair, and voluptuous body. She licked her red lips as she left behind a group of handsome Earthbenders.

_It's too easy_, she thought.

Any one of them would have dropped on one knee and begged for her hand in marriage, but they had all heard the stories of the gorgeous farm girl. She was wicked, toying boys around for fun and breaking their hearts when they proposed. Some said she liked to make them cry. They were wrong. Wei Man _loved_ to make them cry. It was said that she was waiting for the proposal of the King himself, but this was just a rumor.

Not to mention the fact that she intimidated them. She was clever in a cruel sort of way, with a biting wit and brutal honesty. And she could Earthbend like nobody's business. It was a fluke that she had been granted that power. No one else in her family could do it, nor had they ever shown signs of trying.

The petite, pale skinned Earthbender stepped around a group of children playing in the street. The little boys and girls were wide-eyed in her midst. As she passed, she levitated their stone marbles in a spinning circle. They jumped back in surprise. One of the boys fell over and Wei Man snickered. She let the marbles fall back to the ground.

Glancing up, Wei Man saw one of her friends step out of a clothing store up ahead. She carried shopping bags full of expensive, gaudy clothes. All of Wei Man's friends were rich. In fact, she was the only pretty poor girl they allowed in their company and she was proud of it.

_La Shi isn't as pretty as I am. She has nice legs, but I'm better suited to be a noble_, thought Wei Man.

As she approached, the woman snapped, "I see you're still wearing plunging necklines, Wei Man."

Wei Man smirked, "I see you're still a vindictive bitch, La Shi."

The girls glared at each other for a long moment before they smiled.

They blew air kisses on each other's cheeks before Wei Man grabbed one of her bags. She rooted through the clothes and jewelry inside without bothering to ask permission.

La Shi powdered her nose as she spoke, "Did I tell you that Fung proposed to me yesterday? I decided to accept this one. I figured I'm getting too old to keep saying no."

Wei Man sighed, "It's true. It's very true. You're lucky you got a Bei Fong boy. Those are the ones I'm still holding out for. He's the youngest, right?"

"Mmhmm," said the rich girl. "He's three years younger than I am, but I figured he'd be able to work for longer that way. Keep the income flowing."

A pang of jealously hit Wei Man as she examined a very costly jade necklace. She put it back in the bag and pulled out a skimpy bra instead.

She held it up to her face, "You've gotten a bit sluttier in your wardrobe choices."

La Shi swiped the bra from her and stuffed it in the bag, "Please! If I wanted to look like a whore I'd just go raid your closet. It's for the honeymoon. I'm going to turn that boy into a man."

"Ah, I see. Well," Wei Man stepped closer to the other woman. "You'll have to tell his older brothers I'm still available."

Wei Man expected the other woman to laugh and oblige, but she did not.

Picking up the shopping bags, La Shi looked at the ground before speaking. She seemed reluctant to say anything.

"I don't mean for this to sound the way it's going to sound, so I'll just say it. You know I love you to death, Wei Man, but you're still a farmer's daughter. The Bei Fongs were reluctant to let _me_ into the family and I'm a noble. They're only willing t-to, well, _marry down_ if they think it'll benefit them in the long run."

Wei Man looked fiercely at the woman. She bit her inner cheek.

"I'm sorry I said it, but it's true," La Shi said, still looking away.

The short bender suddenly grabbed La Shi by her collar. They were nose to nose, one looking scared out of her mind and the other like a murderer.

"W-Wei Man, what are you doing?!"

She growled, "If anyone else had said that to me I would break every bone in their body." La Shi was about to cry. "But you, La Shi… you've always been honest with me. Thanks, pookie!" She kissed her on the nose and released the shaking girl with a sneer.

"You bitch! I thought you were going to kill me!"

Wei Man scoffed, "If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead. I don't play around. Seriously, though. I'm tired of being the gorgeous poor girl."

La Shi mumbled something about "gorgeous my ass" before Wei Man continued.

"I don't know what I can do about my little situation, La Shi. It would take a miracle for me to even get near the Bei Fong boys. I've never even seen them in person. But that's what I want. No, that's what I _need_. Money, prestige, power. I deserve them and everybody knows it."

"It's true. You should have been born into the Royal Family. You carry yourself so well!"

"Thank you," Wei Man tossed her raven hair. "I'll have to find a way, won't I?"

Unexpectedly, a very unusual idea sprung into her head. It was unorthodox, and probably quite dangerous. Certainly dangerous, in fact.

"Li Shi, what about the forest witch?"

Taking a step backwards, the taller girl breathed, "You're kidding."

A quick round of pacing helped Wei Man think of her plan. Her green eyes sparkled sharply under her thick bangs.

"No, I'm not kidding. She can work wonders according to the men at the Bloody Boar Pub. All I need is a chance to get near one of the Bei Fongs. Just a chance! After they see me I'm sure I can work my magic alone." She wolfishly grinned. "I'm totally sure."

Li Shi was horrified, "I can't believe you! Haven't you heard the end of the stories? She can give you whatever you want, but it comes at a price! A very steep price, Wei Man. Don't be stupid about this. She's a monster! You should marry one of the middle class guys that fawn over you. Even that would be a step up from what you're used to. It's not worth it to sell your soul to a witch!"

"I don't want middle class. I want the richest, most powerful family here," she said in a low voice. "And I don't need to sell my soul. There must be other ways. The witch can give me what I want, can't she?"

"Please don't," said her friend, showing sincere emotion for the first time. "You'll regret it."

La Shi's concern unsettled the bender. She patted her shoulder and brushed off the seriousness of her suggestion.

"You'll see, La Shi. Nothing bad will happen to me! In a few days I'll be with one of the Bei Fongs and we'll be sister-in-laws."

The noble girl did not smile, she did not laugh, she did not even nod.

La Shi stared down at her friend.

"At what price?"

xxxxx

Every inch of the thick forest smelled of death. Birds were not nesting, there were no deer of any kind, and the trees were rotting from the inside out. It was like the entire section of the forest was diseased.

The hunters and trackers at the Bloody Boar told Wei Man that only desperate people traveled to the witch's hut. They said her herbs and potions were so powerful that the scent alone could kill anything over a long enough time. They blamed her for the condition of the forest around her. She heard that the woman's name was once Lian, but no one called her that now. Her infamy had grown over the years until she was simply known as the witch.

Pulling up her green scarf to cover her nose, Wei Man tried to see the sun from the forest floor. It was completely obscured by the leaves, so she continued stumbling around in half-light. She wished she had forced another Earthbender to come with her. Being alone was making her heart race.

After a long trek she began seeing smoke twist through the foliage. It was profuse and reeked of poisons. Wei Man saw that it stemmed from a small brown hut that was lodged against some tree roots.

She steadied herself before knocking on the thin wooden door. The smell of the hut was making her lightheaded.

The door creaked open before she lifted her hand.

A boy, a freakish little boy, gazed at her from the doorway. Wei Man visibly flinched at his appearance. There was something wrong with his eyes. They were _huge_ and caught the light like glass. They were the darkest brown she had ever seen, almost black, with bruise-like circles underneath. And his hair was like nothing she had ever seen. It stuck out it every direction, but was such a strange shade of brown. It was almost orange. His skin was pale to the point of translucence.

For the first time in her life, Wei Man was at a loss for words.

Inside the hut a raspy cackle wafted through the smog.

"Let her in," it snarled. The boy ducked his head and fled the doorway to sit on a pile of fur. He picked up a stack of bones and cast them to the floor. He repeated this action three times before curling up in a tight ball next to them, mumbling inaudibly.

Wei Man was revolted by what she saw in the hut. Tacked to the walls and ceiling were hundreds of small animals that were in various states of dismemberment. A large pot sat on a small circular table in the middle of the room where an old woman was standing.

_The witch_, whispered Wei Man's mind.

She slouched, smacking her dry lips, and stuck her bare hands into the contents of the pot. When she drew them back they were covered in what looked like mud and twigs, but Wei Man didn't want to find out.

"Speak," screeched the witch.

Gulping, she began, "Gr-great Lian, witch of the Gaoling forest-"

"Har har har," the witch stepped closer. "Lian is dead. I'm the only one alive in here!"

The boy's face was blank.

Wei Man started again, "Great witch, I've come to ask for your help."

"Har har. I know," her pitch raised very high. "You've come for my help! They all do!" Her voice dropped low again, "But I need something in return."

Clenching her fists, Wei Man feared what the filthy woman would ask.

The wrinkled creature said, "But we can sort that out once you tell me what you want." She pulled a leaf from her hair, throwing it in the pot. "I can see you're a woman of intelligence. Sharp eyes, sharp tongue, sharp mind. Oh yesss."

The hut's atmosphere was overwhelming Wei Man.

"Tell me what you want," said the witch.

"I just want a chance," said Wei Man. "I need the chance to be with a Bei Fong boy. Any one of them. I'll take any one but the youngest."

Spinning more quickly than a woman her age should be able to, the witch ripped a red-breasted robin from the wall. She threw it in the pot.

The boy jumped up and stood by her side. He tugged at the witch's sleeve. She bent down to his level so he could whisper into her ear, but his eyes stayed on Wei Man.

The witch hissed when he finished. "Hyo tells me that you are unwilling to sacrifice yourself for my services. But he thinks there is another way to get what you want."

Wei Man tensed, "I never said I wouldn't pay! I swear- I'll pay everything back once I meet the Bei Fongs. I'll get the money, I just don't have it right now. Please, I just want to have a good future!"

With one long, dirty fingernail the witch scratched her nose. She was smiling.

"I see, I see. Money is not what I'm after; although, clearly, you are. I want something else from you."

"W-what do you want?"

Her voice rose high, "I want something that makes you happy!" She sounded like a child.

She paused, grinning.

The pretty girl shook her head, "I don't know what to give you."

Hyo, the scary boy, pulled at the witch's sleeve again. She gave a gap-toothed grin at whatever he suggested.

The witch moved very close to Wei Man. She hummed, "Hyo says he knows you would be willing to let me take it from someone else. I know too. Then I'll take it from your children. When you have them."

Wei Man's stomach fell, "No! I didn't say that! Please, anyone but my children! I couldn't stand it. Please, please, anyone else!"

The old woman got the answer she wanted to hear.

"Anyone?"

Wei Man sadly nodded.

"Oh yes, girl. You are a coward, just as Hyo said. Then I will take something beautiful from someone else. Not you, and not your children."

A tear slipped from Wei Man's eye. She was terribly frightened.

Without warning, the witch dragged her hand across Wei Man's face. She wiped away her tear and replaced it with the muddy mixture from the pot.

The girl recoiled and fell against the door as the witch stuck her hands back into the tub. The boy began a light chant in a language Wei Man couldn't recognize. The rhythm grew faster and the witch stirred harder until finally the boy was screaming a wordless spell.

Just when Wei Man thought he could take no more, he threw his hands over his eyes and dropped to the floor. The witch panted and watched the girl like a snake watches a bird.

"It is done," wheezed the old woman. "And you paid nothing."

Wei Man was shaking. "Th-the person that I took h-happiness from, will they know it was me? Will I ever see them?"

"Perhaps," said the witch. "But they will never see you. Unless you tell your little secret, it will die with you. Now listen," she snapped. "Tomorrow at the height of the sun be at the Gaoling passes. You'll meet the oldest boy, Yan Bei Fong. And dress nicely, lovebird. You may have to fight for his attention."

xxxxx

By the time Wei Man stumbled home she had vomited twice and tried to clean the mud from her face in a nearby stream. She couldn't get the witch's words or the smell of the hut out of her mind.

_Who did the witch steal from? What if my parents are hurt!? _Her mind was frenzied as she considered the harmful possibilities.

But her farm was fine. Her parents were fine. Even the pig-sheep were fine. She couldn't find a single thing wrong with her world, except a nightmarish memory of the forest.

She told nothing to her parents, who didn't even note her exceptional shakiness. That night she simply collapsed in her bed until the following morning.

When she woke, the witch's final words rang in her head, _Tomorrow at the height of the sun be at the Gaoling passes._

She also remembered something about having to look good to catch Yan Bei Fong's eye.

Wei Man wore her nicest outfit, one that could almost make her pass for a casual noble on the street. She put on makeup and did her hair, stepping back to survey herself in the mirror. She couldn't help but think she looked beautiful.

Trekking to the Gaoling passes, Wei Man regretted wearing such uncomfortable clothing. She wondered what the witch meant by struggling to get the man's attention. She hoped there would be other girls nearby because they would undoubtedly be less attractive.

She reached the top of the pass and looked into the valley below, eager to see where Yan was walking. Instead, she saw a cluster of people and wagon that was tipped on its side.

_That's strange, _she thought. _Wagons never have problems on the passes. It's a straight path._

Then she saw a huge rock smash open the side of the carriage. The people were Earthbending to get someone out. She watched them drag Yan Bei Fong out by his hair and throw him on the ground.

_Bandits!_ She rushed to the bottom of the pass, removing her shoes, feet padding on the warm ground. Wei Man crouched behind a rock to count the number of thieves on the trail.

_Seven total. Looks like two are benders. Then there's Yan and his wagon driver. _

Yan was doing his best to fight them back, but they pelted him with pebbles. His head and arms were bleeding from the little sharp impacts. Wei Man knew that he needed to be able to see her in action. She jumped from her hiding place and yelled, "What's going on?"

All motion ceased as every one of the nine men turned to look at her. Under other circumstances she would have enjoyed the attention, but currently she was very displeased.

She drew her hands in the air, sending columns of stone to meet both benders under the jaw. They dropped like flies in the dirt.

The remaining five bandits wasted no time pulling out various weapons. _Three swords, a staff, and an axe,_ she counted. Without warning, a disc-shaped rock flew past her legs. She jumped and sent it flying back into the circle of men.

Apparently there was another bender, but she couldn't tell which one it was.

She breathed deeply and encased her lower body with rocks. The men looked confused, probably assuming she was immobile now.

With a flashy smile, she pulled herself completely underground and left no traces that she had never stood there. The men spun around but couldn't find her.

"Boss?" said one of the bandits. "Whadda we do?"

Before anyone answered the man, he was pulled waist deep into the ground. Another hand reached up and pulled the axe and staff wielders into the earth.

Wei Man popped back up, spraying small rocks everywhere.

"Now that's more like it," she purred. Yan was entranced.

The swordsmen glanced at each other and charged her with their blades above their heads.

As they approached, she opened her hands to meet their downswing. Wei Man thrust upward barehanded as they came down. The swords shattered. She arrogantly waved her rock-lined palms at them.

She crumbled the remaining earth into dust and kicked the two men at the same time. Her elbow smashed their ribcages and heads until they were both unconscious at her feet.

_Perfect_, she thought. _Now to really take care of business._

As she turned to face Yan, he cried out, "Duck!"

She fell to her knees and looked up as an axe circled around the area her neck had just occupied. It was made of stone.

_He's the other bender!_

Wei Man scrambled from the muscular man above her. Swing after swing she managed to dodge his attacks, but each one grew closer. The man showed no signs of fatigue.

Finally, she kicked the axe itself and bent it to her will. With a gentle _poof _it crumbled. She grinned at her accomplishment.

The man quickly punched her in the face. Her head rocked back and she hit the ground hard. She could hardly see and the ringing in her ears was intense.

Her only thought was, _He'll kill me._

But nothing happened. Wei Man struggled to stand and defend herself. But no attack came. When she started regaining her senses she saw that the big bender was laying flat on his face. Pieces of a wagon wheel were splintered all around him.

Yan, panting, stood over him. He gracefully extended his hand to Wei Man, who could still barely formulate thoughts.

"My name is Yan Bei Fong. I owe you my life."

_Oh, he's handsome_, she thought.

"I'm…I'm… Wei Man," she said before folding unconscious in his arms.

Yan carried her to a shady area, sending his wagon driver to rush back to Gaoling for help. The eldest Bei Fong boy was very much smitten by his new acquaintance.

xxxxx

**Thirty-nine years later**

Hyo of the forest was free of the witch now. He cleaned up the hut and spent most of his days tending a small garden of vegetables. People stayed away from his home still, but he was not concerned with their fears.

Hyo lived in a different world from the rest of Gaoling. He saw visions of the past, present, and future. Sometimes they were muddled, but usually he could piece together parts of a timeline. Often, he could forcibly change them.

For example, he knew before she arrived that Wei Man would come weeping to his doorstep. He knew she would beg to undo her actions. He knew that she would regret every cruel thing she had ever done, but would receive no peace from him.

"My granddaughter is blind," she would cry. "She was born blind and I brought this upon her."

"But she is strong," Hyo would reply in his soft voice. "No thanks to you. Although she cannot see, she has more insight than you ever did. She is blind and powerful like the world has never known. She will help bend the course of all people."

And the woman, feeling more confident of the vitality of her descendent, would go back home and whisper to the girl in her cradle. Every night until she died she would apologize for her selfishness.

Hyo of the forest went back to tending his garden. He pushed the soil around a growing green stem.

Speaking to no one in particular he mumbled, "The Blind Bandit."

He smiled, "What a curious name."


	4. The Opposite

Disclaimer: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ belongs to Nickelodeon, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Bryan Konietzko. The original characters belong to me.

A/N: This story went through about 50 revisions before I finally decided on a plot. It's my personal favorite and I hope you like it, too. Thanks for the reviews. :)

**The Opposite **

Sozin did not love his sons equally.

It was not even a matter of preference for him. One was simply unsuited to be royalty, much less a ruler. He was shy, half-crippled, he did not resemble Sozin, and he could not bend. The boy was a failure.

Luckily, it seemed that his older son would be more than equipped to make up for his brother. Azulon, who was nearing his twentieth birthday, became more and more striking. He had perfected every Firebending form, learned the ways of nobility, married a gorgeous Firebender, and was perfectly capable of succeeding his father as the Fire Lord. Even as a young man, he had conquered numerous Earth Kingdom cities. Yes, Azulon was the perfect son.

It was the grey-eyed boy with disheveled hair that seemed to give Sozin trouble. Aku, now seventeen, was never mentioned in court. In fact, it was not widely known that the Fire Lord _had_ a second son. Aku was so rarely seen and so easily forgotten that only his mother begrudgingly remembered his presence.

"Mother," he would say. "May I sit outside with the servants? I don't like the nobles." He was always honest, which was lucky because his parents noticed that the nobles didn't like him either. So Aku sat beneath his willow tree and watched the turtle ducks dip their beaks in and out of a nearby pond.

An old man approached, one of his favorite servants. He was very thin and wore thick glasses that magnified his eyes, and Aku could always count on Than to keep his secrets.

He wheezed, "Prince Aku, it's good to see you forgive my old willow tree." Than padded closer, shuffling his old feet along the grass.

Aku shook his head, "There's nothing to forgive. I was being foolish and fell out of a tree." He laughed, "At least someone had the decency to set my leg."

Than held out a withered hand to help Aku stand. The boy shifted his weight so that his left leg was not pressed upon.

"How long ago was that little incident?"

Aku smiled, "Over ten years, I think. Hopefully that's long enough that no one remembers but you." They rounded a corner, now leaving the courtyard. Than and the prince made their daily rounds of the city at dusk, when everyone else ate dinner. They would limp along together, looking something like a grandfather and his favorite grandson. They would sometimes speak of the day, or just let their thoughts wander. Aku wore nothing that could distinguish him from the other citizens: no emblem, no topknot, and certainly no crown.

_I don't deserve a topknot. And I definitely don't want to see my brother's face if I ask for one. _Aku pushed down his flying hair, _I'm not even nobility. _

"You know, Prince Aku," said Than, "Your father is very old. Older even than me. The time for him to pass into the spirit world is coming." The servant paused to gauge Aku's reaction, but the prince said nothing. He continued, "I fear for you in the coming months, Aku."

The boy lifted his grey eyes. It was clear to him that Than was trying to tell him something important. "Do not be afraid to say what you need to say, Than. I would never hold it against you."

The thin old man hung his head. He mumbled, "There are whispers in the court of an Agni Kai. The servants say that Azulon's wife is trying to become pregnant. He wants to assure that his line will continue, and that you can never lay claim to his throne. He will challenge you, Aku. He will lie, I know it! He'll tell everyone you can Firebend and he'll kill you in the courtyard." Than was breathing heavily and staring at the prince with a fearful look on his wrinkled face.

_I must flee._

Aku tugged at his long sleeves. He quietly contemplated his course of action. He trusted Than completely, although he was reluctant to believe his older brother would stoop low enough to murder a crippled, non-bender family member in an Agni Kai. But he did not want to resign himself to death by the future Fire Lord, and he was logical enough to realize he had nowhere to turn. The Fire Nation Capital had always been his home.

"I have nowhere to go," said Aku.

Than sighed in relief because the boy believed him.

"I-I have called in a favor with an old friend. He is already here, and very willing to protect you, my prince," said Than softly. He touched Aku's shoulder. "You must leave tonight, with only the clothes on your back. I'm so sorry it has to be this way, my lord."

Aku kept his surprise to himself. "I am not your lord, Than. I am your student, and friend if nothing else. Will you come with me?"

Than shook his head, bowing slightly. "Forgive me, Aku. I have been planning this for some time now, ever since your father took ill. I will stay behind and bring news of your death to the palace. This way no one will come looking for you, and you can start a new life."

Torn by this plan of action, Aku felt his throat tighten. "This is all very sudden, Than." He grasped for some way to salvage the news, "Are you sure my brother would do this?"

"Can you doubt it?" Than asked sadly.

And with that, he led Aku into a deep alley between a blacksmith's shop and inn. The old man said, "I give you my blessing, dear boy. It would be the death of me to know that something bad happened to you." The two embraced, both wiping their eyes. "Never forget that you are the greatest of the royal family, no matter what you have been told."

In the shadows, they were slowly surrounded by men wearing triangular hats and green circles on their chests. One of them raised his rock-covered fist and pounded Aku's head, rendering him unconscious. Weeping, Than watched them carry him away.

xxxxx

It was clear from the start that he was underground, but Aku could not seem to place the buzzing noise he heard around him. The stones reverberated for a minute and he realized that the noises were people talking in low voices. He caught glimmers of their conversation.

"- like the rest of them. He's smaller, and the old man said he had a bad leg."

"Can't bend either," said another. "Are we sure this is the one he wanted?"

A third replied, "I wouldn't dare ask. He'll tell us when he comes back, unless he gets some other crazy notion in his head. I'll never understand him."

The men walked away, and Aku was alone again in the darkness with a throbbing head. He saw that his arms and legs were unbound, and he had been lying on a thin pallet.

_Sewers?_ He thought. _Am I beneath the city? Who are these people? Than said I could trust them._

A peal of thick laughter filled his ears. From beneath him, there was a rumbling. Aku crawled away, not trusting his leg to run. The men from earlier came back at a sprint. They knelt in rows before Aku.

Popping from the ground, a huge cloaked creature stretched out wide, muscular arms. He was human, and he was an Earthbender.

"Welcome! I hope your head isn't cracked." He loomed closer, pushing out one wide brown eye to examine Aku's head. They were practically nose to nose.

Aku wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball. The man was extremely intimidating. He tore his eyes away to glance at the kneeling men.

He addressed them, "Men, I've made a tunnel. We go back to Omashu immediately. And then, we will feast!" He cackled, and turned back to Aku, "How rude of me! I've forgotten my introductions." He twirled in his cape.

"Let's see," said the brown-eyed man. "These are my friends, the Dai Li! They are my escort for this little adventure. They were created many moons ago by the great Avatar Kyoshi."

Aku crawled back farther. He whispered, "It's f-forbidden to speak of the Avatar."

"You don't say that with much conviction! I notice that you didn't complain when my escort knocked you down, Prince Aku." The man let out a crazy laugh. "Still, it must be illegal to attack royalty, no matter where you are!"

The colossus stepped closer, his huge frame casting a shadow across Aku's wide eyes.

"But, oh! How glad I am to finally see you. We must take to the tunnels!"

And with that, the giant stranger brought a wave of stones beneath his feet. He shoved off his cloak and bellowed, "I'm King Bumi of Omashu. And you, Fire Prince Aku, should keep you mind open to the possibilities before you."

Then they disappeared from the sewer in a rush of sinking boulders and frenzied laughter.

xxxxx

Seated comfortably in Bumi's palace, Aku enjoyed the feast placed before him. He had spent nearly two weeks with the crazy Earth King that he couldn't help but like. Over the course of their time spent together, Aku related his past with the King. Although he was wild and uncontrollable, Bumi was full of wisdom. He taught Aku many things about the ways of the world: the history of the Earth Kingdom, Water Tribes, and Air Nomads. He spoke without fear about the Avatar, and Aku drank up the information greedily.

All of his preconceived notions about the other nations were wrong. His teachers in school had lied about everything, and the new things he learned were wonderful. He had no idea that they had all once lived in peace. It made him ache to think that such a life was lost because of his father.

During their dinner, Bumi set down his goblet and stared at Aku from across the table. He said, "I'm surprised you haven't asked why I brought you here. Aren't you curious?"

"Because Than asked you to. He's your friend."

"That is true," Bumi smiled crookedly. "It seems the fates have brought us together. You see, young friend, three days before I received Than's message, I had a great and terrible dream about you. I am no prophet, but there are some truths that I can't ignore."

Aku furrowed his brow, "Was it a bad dream?"

"Only if I do nothing to help you. What do you know of dragons, Aku?"

"They are being hunted to extinction," he gritted his teeth, "by my father's orders. My brother slays them for sport."

Bumi nodded, his messy brown hair swayed, "I have a story to tell you, and perhaps you will be willing to let me help you." He took a deep breath and began.

"Before I became the king of this city, I set out on a journey to find what would soon be lost. I could not have Sozin destroy both the Air Nomads and the ancient dragons. If only I had been faster in my decisions. I remained neutral for too long, and many of the great beasts were lost in your father's hunt. They were so scattered across the world that I could almost never find them in time.

"But fate can sometimes be kind, and the tide turned in the fifth year of my search. Deep in a Fire Nation forest, I found a lovely green dragon that lay dying. Her name was Dat, and she had killed a Firebender that sought her head. She spoke to me, in the strange way that they do, and pushed a beautiful golden stone to my feet. It was the only egg she had ever laid, having lost her mate. Just before she died, she made me promise to protect the baby dragon inside at all costs.

"That was when I realized that some good could come of my journey. Over the course of twenty years I found five more eggs, very carefully hidden in the caves where their parents were killed. None of them have hatched, and I believe it is because they know they cannot survive long in a warring land. As of now, there are only two people in the entire world that know of my little daycare. One of them is me, and the other is you."

Aku's heart raced. He gasped, "Why are you trusting me with this?"

Bumi chuckled, "Because of my dream. A red dragon came to me. He said that his mate had laid an egg of great power. The next ruler of dragon-kind, so to speak. He showed me an enormous purple dragon flying over a crowd of people. In my heart, I knew that the dragon was leading Air Nomads back from the dead. Or perhaps just from hiding."

"But… all of them are dead. Aren't they?"

Bumi nodded, taking a deep breath. "It seems so, but we have all been wrong in the past. In my dream, the red dragon, he never said his name, told me that I was not the one to protect this egg. I am just a nanny for the others," he laughed. "It is _you_ they are asking for. Aku, the red dragon wants you to protect his race. He wants you to undo the sins of your family."

_But… who am I to save the dragons?_

Bumi looked expectantly at Aku's face. It seemed like the boy was on the brink of tears, or maybe screaming. The Earth King feared he would vehemently refuse the dream-dragon's order.

Aku shuddered, "Wh-why didn't the dragon tell me? I haven't ever had a dream like yours."

"Would you have believed it?" The boy said nothing, and Bumi continued.

"I also saw you, before I knew it was you. You were burning, Aku. You were burning in a courtyard as your family watched. The dragon said that if you cannot fulfill your destiny, none of the eggs will hatch. The dragons will die with you. They need you. It was fate that my friend, Than, was watching you. He must've dreamed of you, too."

Standing on his good leg, Aku rose. He said, "I want to see the eggs."

Bumi toothily smiled, "Right this way, sir!"

xxxxx

They were bigger than he anticipated, and slightly heavier. Each of the eggs stood a pedestal of stone, clearly the work of Bumi's Earthbending. They caught the light in small rainbows, leaving a colorful trail over their intricate patterns. The eggs looked as if they had been carved by a master craftsman- deep engravings ran along their surfaces, and none were the same.

Aku stared at the six shining ovals. His heart raced and his entire body tingled. There was a noise in the back of his mind that started out quietly, but grew to a loud buzz. He knew immediately that the eggs were talking to him.

He heard whispers in a language that he didn't fully understand. They were soft and curious. The non-noise rumbled in his mind, making images and feelings very clear.

Unaware of Aku's revelation, Bumi cradled the simplest egg. "This one's name is Eggie! He's the first one I found."

Paling, Aku said, "His name is Mot." _How do I know this?!_

The whispers intensified and the Earth King's smile tripled in size. "Tell me about them," he prodded.

Little voices rang in his mind, "Mot will hatch before the others. He's older, and he'll be very big, and dark green like his parents." Bumi's face lit up like a torch.

Aku walked among the eggs, touching them in turn. "This is Dahn Tu, she's pink and very shy. And the grey one will be Tinh. He already likes her." His words came more freely, "This orange one is Mau, she's faster than anyone else. This is Mau's cousin, Khoe, she's sunshine yellow and always friendly."

Aku paused at the last egg because the mind-whisper was so faint. He strained to hear, but could not help smiling at what the egg said.

"This little one says he doesn't know his name yet, but he likes Bumi. He'll be a light green, and will have a great roar."

For the first time, the King looked at the eggs with their new personalities. His face shaded slightly, "Do they like me, Aku?"

The whispers became like a shout in the boy's mind, "Oh, Bumi, they love you!"

With watering eyes, the great man took a steadying breath and put his hand on Aku's head. "Tell them the feeling is mutual."

xxxxx

_How many months ago was I in Omashu?_

Aku trudged along, limping in the Fire Nation forest. He stopped occasionally to pull twigs and pebbles from his shoes, or if his leg started to hurt. He had come across a few animals, mostly small birds, and was mildly disappointed that they weren't as friendly as his turtle ducks back home.

_Ha. Back home? The Fire Nation is not my home anymore. I'm a nomad, just like Avatar Yangchen. I am home wherever I am. _He smiled at his inner monologue and took out a piece of jerky for lunch. _One thing I must say about being a nomad, the food isn't the greatest. _

The constant traveling had made his once weak body lean and muscular. Aku found that his leg could support him walking for leagues before it completely gave out on him. He still couldn't stand on it alone, which was frustrating. It would take an eternity to find the dragon eggs if he couldn't walk straight.

He traced a small oval in the dirt with his pinky. Although he was still very frightened to meet fully grown dragons, he couldn't hide his excitement at finding another egg. They were such interesting creatures, and he related to them very well. Before he set off on his long trip to the red dragon, he had spent countless hours in the egg sanctuary, or the "daycare" as Bumi referred to it.

All of the unhatched dragons loved to hear about Aku's past. They even pressed him for information about his father's hunts. The ex-prince thought the knowledge might frighten them, but none even flinched when he explained the story.

"You will protect us!" they squeaked in unison. "Dragon-father Aku will keep us safe."

"Dragon-father?" he asked. "I'm too weak for such a title," he smiled nonetheless.

"No!" said Mot. "Bumi is our dragon-brother. You will always be our father."

In a patch of sunshine, Aku lay on his back remembering the babies and their words. It tugged at his heart that he wouldn't see them for so long, but they understood. Only Dahn Tu was upset, writhing inside of her egg and showing Aku pictures of rainy, grey skies. Tinh did his best to cheer her in their unspoken language.

Picking up his gear, he set off along the northern edge of the woods. Aku did not have clear directions of how to find the red dragon, but Bumi was confident that he would wander until he discovered him.

"Follow the Sun!" said the King.

"Bumi," sighed Aku. "The Sun moves."

The Earthbender laughed, "And so will you!"

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't realize that beneath his feet was a set of tracks. They ran along the same path he walked, and he unconsciously covered them with his larger feet. His limp drew a strange, wiggly line over the left one.

He stopped sharply, mouth gaping, for two reasons.

The first was that he could see a huge gilded city from the edge of a cliff that he stood over.

The second was that, in front of his city-view, there was a girl pointing a very sharp arrow at his heart. She wore red face paint and feathers in her hair. Her lithe body made it very clear that he would not be entering the city without her permission.

Dark brown hair hung against her face where it had sprung from her ponytail, and her almond eyes bore a hole into Aku's head.

She was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen. And he was perfectly willing to be shot at point-blank range with her arrows.

"Get on your knees," she sternly said.

"Unghk?" gurgled Aku.

"Get on your knees!" she repeated. He quickly obliged. "Toss your pack over here."

She rummaged through it with her foot, never releasing her aim on him.

"I'm Aku," he said to her. She ignored him.

"Who sent you? How did you find this place?"

She turned, and he couldn't help but stare at her dark brown skin. It was exotic and the perfect color and-

"WHO SENT YOU?" she yelled.

"Um, I uhh- I sent myself, I guess! I'm here to find the red dragon." Bumi's words returned to him nonsensically, "I followed the Sun."

Her bow immediately hit the dirt and she dropped down, pressing her forehead against it. "Forgive me, my lord," she gasped out. "I didn't know you were… here to seek my masters." She pounded her head on the ground, "My brother's gonna kill me!"

She looked very near tears, and that was the last thing Aku wanted. "It's alright! You were only protecting your city…. That is your city, right?"

She scrambled closer, "Yes, my lord! I am Liri of the Sun Warriors. Please forgive my stupidity, I should have known you were the one they called. Will you allow me to escort you to the Chief?" They knelt in the dirt together.

"Uhm. Yes. And it's nice to meet you Liri. I'm Aku," he extended his hand.

Without hesitation, she kissed it and bowed her head. His skin tickled where her lips had touched. He blushed ferociously.

"Lord Aku--"

"Please don't call me that. Just Aku is fine. I'm not your lord." He stood up, leaning heavily on his right leg. He extended his hand again to help her up, and this time she didn't kiss it.

As they walked, Liri didn't seem to know what to do with herself. Back at the capital city, Aku had seen many people behave the same way around his family. It was the discomfort, or the general fear of failure, that commoners had around royalty. He hated it.

"So," Aku began, feeling very timid. "You really scared me. I thought you were gonna skewer me." She seemed unsure if she could laugh. He smiled encouragingly and she grinned back.

Her voice was very smooth, "I thought you were a dragon hunter." She giggled, "But here you are, the total opposite. Thank Agni you weren't though. A Firebender would've beaten me senseless. Do you bend, Lor—Aku?"

He shook his head, "Nope. I leave that fireworks to my brother." _Why did I bring up Azulon?_

She nodded, "So do I. Although it's sometimes fun to have him light my arrows." He chuckled at the mental image of Liri and flaming weapons.

As they continued to the city, Liri said, "We've been waiting for you for a long time. The dragons sometimes speak to the elders or the Chief, but I think they need someone that really understands them. So, thank you. For the dragons, I mean."

He looked in her eyes and caught her gaze, "Anything. For the dragons, I mean… too."

Without warning, a group of young men burst from a building. They all looked like Liri, but one had a big headdress. He grabbed the little archer tightly and Aku felt an unfamiliar pang of jealousy.

"Liri! What happened? Who is this boy?" Aku bristled at his words.

She pushed against him, trying to free herself from his grasp. "Let go, Po!" He released her and she stumbled backwards into Aku's chest.

They both turned bright red and mumbled half-heard apologies. The man in the headdress grinned mischievously.

Liri said, "Aku, this is my brother, Po."

Aku felt a great deal of tension leave his shoulders. He suddenly liked Po much more.

She said, "Po, This is Aku. He's the one the dragons called. He told me that he followed the Sun, just as they said he would." The men grew wide-eyed, each dropped to a knee. Po replied, "Welcome, Lord Aku-"

"Don't call him 'Lord,'" whispered Liri.

"Welcome, Aku! I hope your stay with us is all you expected it to be!"

All of the men happily grinned at him. Even as a prince of the Fire Nation, Aku had never been given this much respect. At his side, Liri pulled up her pretty pink lips into a smile.

xxxxx

Sitting between Po and Liri was a lot like containing a pair of bear cubs when fresh meat was around. Ignoring the plethora of food at the large wooden table to steal from their respective sibling seemed to be the natural order of things. They talked over each other, often if it meant leaning entirely into Aku to get the point across. When Liri did it he wasn't bothered, but he could have used a lot less contact with Sun Chief Po. They laughed and bantered with fervor, but managed a sort of refined dignity whenever someone addressed Po. He was goofball, a wise man, and a leader of the people at the forgotten city. It reminded Aku of Bumi.

The food left everyone in a state of painful fullness. According to Liri, celebrations were in order because of Aku's arrival. Everyone was terribly pleased to meet him, and congratulate Liri on finding him. They loved to hear the story.

He covered up the parts about almost being shot, and Liri mouthed a sincere "thank you" when no one else was looking. A creeping flush followed any time they made eye contact.

By the end of the night Po, Liri, and Aku were the only two left outside of their homes. The ex-prince found himself wishing that he could remember more times when he was this happy. He watched Po light one of Liri's hair-feathers on fire. She promptly put it out and punched her brother in the head.

"So, Aku," he said, rubbing his new bruise. "I'll have to teach you the Dancing Dragon form tomorrow. I'm sure your leg won't be a huge problem, especially if you've learned other Firebending forms. You'll know a way to compensate."

Liri's face fell with Aku's stomach. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?" asked Po.

_All this way. I came all this way, and it doesn't matter because I can't bend._

"I'm not a Firebender, Po."

The Sun Chief's face lost all traces of humor. His voice took a deeper quality, "This isn't a joke, Aku."

The boy felt his heart twist. He said, "I'm not joking. I can't bend. I can't even walk properly."

Po stood, staring into the darkness with a grimace. Liri pulled at his arm, "It doesn't matter! The dragons asked for Aku specially. They know he's not a bender! They would never punish him for it!"

"Punish?"

Liri paled. Her brother turned back to him. "Last time a non-bender tried to see Rao and Shan they ripped him limb from limb and killed his partner, too. The woman he was with could Firebend, but they killed her anyway."

"But why?" He asked, aghast.

"They are dragons," he murmured. "They do not have to explain their reasoning to us."

An uncomfortable silence weighed heavily over the trio. They each stood perfectly still, as if an elk-puma were stalking them. It made Aku want to cry.

"I'll go with you," whispered Liri.

"NO!" yelled Po and Aku at the same time.

She glared, "And why not?" Aku shook his head and stuttered a few words about danger and guilt.

Po said, "I'm the Chief, that means it's my duty to perform the Dancing Dragon with people that come alone. I've done it in the past, and I'll do it again with Aku." He glanced at the grey-eyed boy. "Do you think you could try it?"

Looking at his leg, Aku shook his head. "I can't put weight on it. My leg gives out and I fall. Even now that it's gotten stronger it still can't hold me up by itself. There's no way I could perform a Firebending form."

Po closed his eyes. He muttered, "Are you sure you need to see the dragons?"

Aku's temper flared, "Yes. This is my duty and I'll be damned if I fail at it. I will see them even if they decide I'm an unworthy of their task." He limped away with clenched fists.

He could hear strained mumbling and the shuffle of feet following him. He flopped down at the edge of the forest, leaning against a rock. Knitting his brow, Aku tried to clear his mind of fear. Liri sat down next to him.

"Sometimes I wish I were stronger so that I could punch Po harder. He deserves it," she said. "I'm sorry if he offended you, Aku. He- we just don't want you… we like you. I like you, and I don't want you to get hurt." Her light brown eyes looked at him sideways.

He felt his ears turn red, but he replied, "I like you, too. And no matter what I know that I have to see the dragons. They need me. How could they kill me? Tomorrow morning I'll go alone, if you'll show me the way."

Liri sighed and scooted closer to him. "Will you stay out here?" she asked. "It's a beautiful night and I was planning on sleeping outside anyway." Unless Aku was very much mistaken, he sensed shyness in her voice that was not usually present.

_Is she afraid I'll leave her?_

"Uh, yeah. Let's stay out here. Are you cold?"

She closed her eyes, leaning her head against his shoulder. "No, you're very warm."

_Is she voluntarily snuggling with me?! Play it cool. Play it cool. Play it cool. _

"You're hot," he choked. "I mean soft! Soft and warm, too. I… uhm. I meant soft."

_Idiot._

She giggled. "Tell me about the dragon eggs you mentioned earlier. I want to know about them. And your friend, Bumi. Tell me how you got here."

After a pause he said, "Get settled then. It's sort of a long story." She nestled her head closer to his chest so that it rose and fell as he breathed. Aku was sure his racing heartbeat could be heard for miles.

And he started his story. She didn't interrupt, except to ask a few questions or laugh appropriately. When he finally finished, he thought she had fallen asleep. He twirled her hair lightly with his fingers.

"You're a very interesting boy, Aku." His fingers tensed and he released her hair. "Why'd you stop?" she asked.

"I thought you might not want me to…"

Pressing her cheek against him she said, "I want you to." He bit his lip and began twirling again.

They stayed that way until the Sun rose.

xxxxx

The stairs were the worst part of Aku's trip to the dragons. Every faltering step he took seemed to confirm his inability to succeed. His crippled leg dragged him down, wasting energy, and made him furious to think that Liri was watching. He wanted to be strong for her, especially after she had repeated her fears about his meeting the Firebending masters.

"You aren't a bender, you can't perform the Dancing Dragon, and you're going alone. It's like you're breaking every rule they've ever laid down for us to follow," she said.

And he had no response. He knew she was right, but how could he ignore Bumi's dream and the words of the unhatched dragons?

At the top of the staircase, he stood in the middle of a thick stone bridge. He noticed that more of the Sun Warriors had come to watch his ascent. The thought made him nauseous.

Nothing happened for several minutes, leaving Aku standing and sweating in silence. He cleared his mind, hoping to contact the adult dragons the same way he spoke to the eggs.

He said, "Forgive me, great ones. I have no dance for you. I have no fire and no partner and no sacrifice. I have only myself and a promise."

In the deepest part of his mind, he heard a distinctively female voice say, "We ask for nothing more." Aku released the tension in his body. The female dragon spoke again, "Let us look at you, hatchling."

With a great rumbling and rush of wind, the dragons sped from their caves on either side of the bridge. The entire human congregation collectively gasped beneath them.

He was awestruck.

The dragons, red and blue, were huge and graceful. They flew like swimming fish through the air, never taking their eyes off of the young man before them. The blue dragon, which Aku immediately identified as the female, seemed to grin. The red male, however, spoke with venom in his voice.

"We take a great risk with you, son of monsters. How can we be sure you will not betray us? We have killed the deceitful in the past: hunters disguised as dragon-friends. Your own father rides one of our kindred like a common beast. He hunts us, slays us, butchers our eggs. What can you promise us?"

Aku tilted his head to the clouds. In the mind-voice he said, "I could give you my word as a prince, but that means nothing to me. I could give you my word as a man, but I'm hardly old enough to be called one. The only thing I can give is my spirit. I swear on my spirit as the dragon-father that I will never allow a dragon egg to be harmed."

With a quick motion, the dragons latched on either side of the bridge and exhaled.

Colorful flames ran from their mouth, swirling around Aku, and shooting to the sky. In the fire he saw the path he must take. He could hear the dragons' laughter and joy, and he smiled with them. Aku's heart became the Sun, and he felt a living fire in his soul. He completely understood the language of the dragons; they were words of energy and life that would one day save the world.

Rao, the red dragon, spoke, "You are a dragon-father, indeed. Your task will be to find the hidden eggs of our kind. Return them to your rock-friend's sanctuary." Aku laughed at their moniker for Bumi. "He will be very distracted in the future, so the dragons will fall to you. They will call you when they are afraid, and you will travel the nations to gather them together."

"Will I go alone?"

The blue dragon spoke with amusement in her voice, "You have already made a friend that wishes to protect you."

Aku could not see Liri through the flames, but knew she watched him from far below.

"What do I do when I've found them?"

She continued, "Return them to the Earth King's sanctuary. All but our own egg. It must stay here, and will only hatch when the Fire Lord and Avatar are reconciled."

"Your child, the purple dragon, will he find the Air Nomads?"

Rao roared with delight, "Wait and see. Some of your own family members will help the Avatar reunite the nations. They share your heart." He flicked his tail, "Put our egg in the heart of the city, and surround it with traps. Only the worthy ones should draw near it."

Aku whispered, "I will defend the eggs with my life."

The flames stopped, and Rao and Shan circled above the boy.

Together they said, "We will give you a gift, hatchling prince. Stand straight, and hold out your hands."

Aku looked to the sky, arms outstretched, his bad leg burning. Their golden egg fell against him softly with a gentle chirp in his mind. He felt instantly stronger with the new life in his hands.

Rao and Shan sped back into their caves with the sounds of laughter. Aku strode down the stairs with their son, powerfully and gracefully as a dragon, all signs of a limp erased from his body.

xxxxx

After Aku's return from Rao and Shan, the Sun Warriors bowed before him and the egg. Only one young woman ran to face him. She surveyed his body, checking for signs of injury, before capturing him a tight hug. Aku felt endless happiness holding Liri with the egg pressed between them. The egg chirped again, wiggling with curiosity at the warm humans.

Two days later, Liri and Aku placed the egg in the center of the city. With the help of Po and his friends, they assembled a series of dangerous traps, including a strange goo that caused a great deal of trouble for the warriors. Po found it endlessly amusing.

The next morning Aku woke with a confused expression. Liri was already awake, watching him knit his brow as they leaned against their rock.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

He looked at her, somewhat dazed, and replied, "I'm great. It's just… I had a dream. I had a dream like I've never had before and… I think it was the egg. I think Tuan Jie wanted to show me something."

"Who's Tuan Jie?"

"Our egg," he said. She smiled back, "_Our_ egg?"

"He likes you a great deal, so I'd say Tuan Jie is 'ours.'" He stroked the back of her hand.

"He showed me two boys, no older than we are now, and they held his egg. One had a blue arrow on his head, and the other was scarred." He motioned to his eye. "The scarred one looked a great deal like my brother, and I think the other one is an Airbender."

She clenched his hand tighter, "Were we there?"

Aku shook his head, but he looked pleased. "Not yet. I think that the boys are the Fire Lord and Avatar that the dragons spoke about. They'll be the ones that find Tuan Jie's egg." He laughed, "It'll be years away! I'm not sure that those two are even born yet!"

He stood, no longer having to rely on his good leg, and smiled, "I think one day we'll get to meet them."

Liri pulled him back down to her, and said, "As long as we stick together. I'm not letting you have all the fun, Aku."

With no hesitation, he kissed her softly on the lips. He felt her press back. Pulling away slowly, he said, "Just don't try to shoot me again."

She lightly slapped him on the arm. "I'll shoot you whenever I want."

Returning to the city, they prepared their goods and said their goodbyes all day. Po wrapped them in painful bear hugs, blessings and words of love slipping from his mouth.

They left the Sun Warriors' city that night. The young man and woman were to return to Omashu and tell Bumi of the dragons before they set off to search for the eggs.

Striding hand-in-hand with Liri, Aku felt like he had finally found his place in the world.

xxxxx


End file.
